Dave Stroud did an excellent talk at Together on a Mission which I will blog on next when he addressed issues surrounding the discussion on gender (44 mins onwards), and he uses expressions like "Sloppy in our attitudes, language or use of media", "Create a culture that does not actually back the doctrinal position we stand upon" and "we can encourage men without a cost to us in other areas".

He was talking internally within Newfrontiers but I can certainly see the parallels.

There are many problems with the conversation Mark Driscoll started.

Firstly that he was so flippant (his word) about something so serious, so important, and so sensitive. And with thousands of people watching his every move: people both for him and against him on many issues.

Secondly, he resorted to stereotype. Many people his side of the fence on these issues resent being stereotyped by those holding egalitarian views. Do unto others as you would have done to you. And you reap what you sow.

Thirdly, in doing so he brings shame on anyone who happens to hold onto elements of a similar theological construction regarding the created order, gender and leadership in the local Church by going about it in this way.

Finally, when he came to the newfrontiers conference a couple of years back he was very clear, outspoken and positive about his experience of our corporate worship. He praised us for it.

The worship at the conference is led by different men and women. Kate Simmonds and Lou Fellingham stand out as excellent worship leaders. Whatever the attributes of the women who led worship and helped contribute towards the amazing worship he experienced: they must have displayed feminine characteristics.

Yet an "effeminate" guy leading worship is a figure of fun?

The guy who presumably when leading worship shows the same feminine attributes (gentleness, kindness and sensitivity?) as the women worship leaders who are to be praised?

3 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I see no need for Driscoll to say he is sorry in this case. Driscoll did not just pop up overnight and start saying these things. People ought to know he is an inflammatory person and understand that when he speaks, he is coarse and in your face. He is going to say things that hurt feelings, but that doesn't invalidate them.

The people complaining about Driscoll need to blow their nose and move on with life.

At the risk of poking the beast, the male headship model of inter-gender relationship isn't the created order. It only came into place after the Fall, so technically it's the fallen order. Only important if you take Genesis literally, of course...

I'm not sure if I've misunderstood your final statement but surely the whole point is that women are female and therefore feminine and so that is where the contrast lies. Men being feminine is not the same as women being feminine. How does that not make sense?

David Matthias, Shrewsbury, England

On June 29th 2008 I became an elder at a Church in Shrewsbury, England.This is my journey into the future with God. These views are my own views alone.If I am right, pray for my humility.If I am wrong, pray for my discernment.If you can't work it out, pray for my clarity.My Church in Shrewsbury